The Ballon d'Or, the sport’s most coveted individual award, is set to mark its 70th edition with a dramatic relocation from Paris to London. The ceremony, scheduled for October 26, will be staged in the hometown of England’s all‑time leading scorer Harry Kane, adding a local flourish to a global celebration.
Organisers have chosen the capital as the backdrop for a night that will also see Arsenal, the recent Premier League champions, face Paris Saint‑Germain in a clash that could crown the club’s first ever Champions League trophy. The match underscores the growing intersection of domestic dominance and Europe’s elite competition.
London’s Stage for a Landmark Celebration
Harry Kane’s astonishing season with Bayern Munich has been a centerpiece of the narrative. The English forward netted 61 goals across 51 appearances, adding 14 strikes in the Champions League and five more for England in World Cup qualifying. His prolific output has kept him at the forefront of discussions about the sport’s current leading lights.
Last year’s men’s Ballon d'Or was claimed by Ousmane Dembélé, who celebrated a breakthrough season with PSG. The French winger recorded 19 goals in 39 games for the Parisians and contributed seven more in the Champions League, a performance that helped the club lift the trophy.
Aitana Bonmatí, a three‑time women’s Ballon d'Or winner, endured a injury‑marred campaign but made a decisive return for Barcelona’s Champions League triumph over OL Lyonnes. Her comeback story adds a compelling human angle to the award’s broader narrative.
Voting for the Ballon d'Or remains in the hands of a global panel of journalists, who each submit a shortlist of ten candidates from a 30‑player pool. Their collective choices will ultimately determine the winners in both the men’s and women’s categories.